Why you should get a flu shot if you have heart problems?
Have you ever thought of the flu becoming dangerous for anyone? It looks like the regular flu or a disease that can be treated easily within no time. But it certainly is alarming for some age groups and people with heart diseases as it may exceed from being the regular flu.
You would be amazed to hear that people suffering from heart diseases are six times likely to have heart attacks after they have flu. Inflammation occurs due to flu, which may affect various parts of their body, including the heart. In some people, heart attacks may occur because of severe inflammation.
However, you would be glad to know that flu complications hardly lead to any deaths. When other risk factors are involved, it is necessary to consider the right steps for preventing serious issues. This article provides knowledge about people who face risks related to flu complications. Also, the article will shed light on how to protect yourself as well as your loved ones.
Severe Complications of Flu
These conditions can be rare, but still, they exist. Respiratory failures may occur due to bacterial pneumonia and pneumonia. In the worst scenarios, cardiac complications like myocarditis and heart attack can take place too. Also, you may come across the most serious damage to the central nervous system, Encephalopathy.
Still, the reason behind the cardiovascular diseases triggered by flu remains in the dark. The Herald discussed it by highlighting the reason behind it. The artery-clogging plaques turn to be unstable as well as are vulnerable to rapturing. The oxygen levels may lower down. As a result, the pressure is exerted on the heart and makes it’s working harder. Too much stress is exerted on the body, and it can be a significant cause of directly injuring the heart cells.
People At Risk of Flu Complications
Have a look at the below discussion to know about flu complications:
People who have severe health issues, including heart diseases, are mainly at the risk of flu complications. Some may have a compromised immune system because of their age; it could happen to either very elderly or very young people. Even pregnant women are more prone to flu complications.
Challenges Of Flu with Heart Diseases
Flu season would certainly be difficult and dangerous if the person suffers from heart diseases. People with influenza (flu) face more complications when they have heart diseases.
The heart conditions of patients with heart diseases get worse due to non-cardiac flu complications. It turns out to be challenging in the treatment of people having heart failures, along with flu complications like respiratory failure and pneumonia. It cannot be dealt with solely by medications and need the support of a ventilator. Medications and intravenous fluids are also required to help cure it. More stress comes on the heart with the severe symptoms of flu. The risks will increase, resulting in worsening conditions like heart arrhythmia as well as heart failure.
Doctors greatly recommend flu shots for elderly people as well as people who are at high risk, including people with heart diseases.
Importance Of Flu Shots With Heart Disease Patients
The flu complications, like death, heart attacks, pneumonia, and respiratory failure, may get worse when you are suffering from heart disease. Your severe flu conditions may make your pre-existing conditions, asthma, heart failure, and diabetes worse. The risks of getting heart diseases, strokes, heart attacks, or dying from cardiac arrests might lower down due to flu shots according to the research. However, different researches are needed for confirming such findings. Researches are underway for determining that the high dose shots offer greater advantages.
Also, always keep in mind that in case you are living with someone or care for someone who is suffering from heart disease, ensure you get your flu shot done. People who get their flu shot not only protect themselves but also protect people around them.
Do Heart Patients Have Flu Shots?
Mostly, flu shots tend to be safe enough for the majority of people who are suffering from heart diseases. However, it is not recommended for the heart patients to use the flu vaccine of nasal spray (FluMist). The vaccine of nasal spray is made up of live viruses, unlike these flu shots. More research is much needed to determine the safety of patients with heart diseases.
Flu vaccines are usually put into the upper arms through injections. However, temporary side effects are seen in people, as the mild soreness at the point of injection, mild fever, or muscle aches.
You must have seen annual flu shots are done due to a reason behind it. The heart patients with flu shots will experience lower risks of heart diseases by 10%. 68th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology will present this idea. This will help to support the idea of flu shots in the U.S.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 56,000Americans were killed due to flu, and approximately 71,000 people were hospitalized every year.
This is the major reason behind great emphasis laid on the importance of getting flu vaccinations, so you may not get infected with flu and spread the same virus, among others. It is highly recommended for older adults, young kids, and pregnant women. This may even be beneficial for heart patients. This is a life-threatening condition, which affected almost 790,000 Americans every year.
It has been observed in research that the older people who are getting their flu shots done have reduced risks of heart diseases like heart attacks. In the review, it became clear to the investigators that older people who were receiving their flu shots noticed their risks of heart attacks reduced by 36% over eight months after their vaccinations.
Final Verdict
Flu Shot prevention is a cheaper way out, yet it is underutilized. It is the duty of the physicians to provide knowledge to their patients regarding its importance. South Florida Cardiovascular Specialists are highly educated and have a strong influence on the decisions of their patients. They had convinced many people to get their flu shots done, who thought it as worthless. They have laid great emphasis on young children, older adults, and pregnant women.
